This year, on 16th October, Meherabad woke to a light drizzle of rain, one
of the tail-end monsoon showers we hope to get in October. It was this time
of year that Meher Baba and His companions set out on the New Life in 1949,
also on a drizzly morning, leaving behind the old way of life to embark on
the new life of renunciation. His ashrams were disbanded, meetings were
held and instructions given, provisions made for those of Baba’s followers
who were not joining Him on the New Life journeys. In August Baba had held
a series of meetings at Meherabad announcing the conditions and
arrangements for the New Life, in the Mandali Hall at lower Meherabad for
the men and in the East Room on the hill for the women.

Sitting today in Mandali Hall, we can get a feeling for those days leading
up to the first day of the New Life journeys. Imagine the activities here
on 15th October, 1949, eve of the day the journeys began, as Baba and the
men mandali gathered together for their last meal and made their final
preparations. Those who were not going were also present. Dhake (one of
Baba’s disciples) read out a speech, “Farewell to Baba and Companions.”
Baba returned to Meherazad for the night.

When they departed the next morning, there was a light drizzle following a
big rain during the night. Baba and the women, with Eruch driving, came by
car from Meherazad and met the other men mandali at the railway line in
Ahmednagar. Although there was heavier rain later in the morning, the
weather had lightened up as Baba and His companions began the New Life,
setting out on foot towards Supa on the Poona Road. We get a beautiful
cameo image of the scene in this passage from Meher Baba’s New Life by Bhau
Kalchuri:

“The journey on foot resumed with Baba and the four women walking in front,
followed by the sixteen men 200 yards behind. Sarosh’s car moved along
slowly behind them. Suddenly the rain let up, which allowed Baba to walk
hand in hand with Mehera while everyone else followed. Mehera wore slacks,
while the other women wore Punjabi outfits. Baba had a scarf tied around
His head to hide His long hair.”